Kingblossom Brand Washington Evaporated Apples crate label

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Lead with what sets this crate label apart: its name, Kingblossom Brand, points to a Washington State packer who sold dried apples rather than fresh fruit. Evaporated apples were a major product of the Pacific Northwest in the early twentieth century, when dehydrators turned surplus and cull fruit into a shelf-stable good that could be shipped east and overseas. Labels like this one were printed in bright color lithography to catch the eye of grocers and buyers, and they often pictured fruit, blossoms, or orchard scenes to suggest freshness and quality. Notice how the lettering and imagery work together to sell a dried product as something close to the orchard itself.

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